|
上個世紀的 90 年代中期，美國華盛頓州愛德蒙鎮的居民們決定要蓋一所新中學，這所中學的配備將包括 Hi-Fi 級的音樂廳、具備專業燈光的劇場。十幾年過去後，全美教育工作者仍絡繹不絕來參觀這所以「未來」為目標的中學，如果你問該校的學生，他們還會告訴你愛德蒙伍威 (Edmonds-Woodway) 高中是個用餐的好地方...
「要適應未來五十年的需求，最重要的其實在於面對科技可能的變化，」愛德蒙伍威高中設計師、傑出建築師 Lorne McConachie 回憶構思該校的過程，「因為科技應用在今日的教育已是趨勢，而這樣的趨勢決不會走回頭路。」
造價三千萬美金、佔地近二十二萬平方公尺，對於這座學校的未來，愛德蒙鎮的居民要的很簡單，卻少有人能夠做到：「因應各種教學與教材改變的需求；其次是，整合現今與未來的科技。」
「在無線科技愈來愈普及後，該校成為華盛頓州最早構件校園無限上網的學校之一，憑藉的就是十年前的前瞻設計，」Lorne 回憶。
一九八O 年代開始設計校園以及多種公共建築，Lorne 被喻為是少數「最能洞察未來校園變化」的建築師，由他領銜的作品二十年來普及於華盛頓州和加州，而在二○○三年起，微軟的未來學校計畫展開後，他更展開了與微軟的共同合作。
科技，改變學校的樣貌
「花了二十年的時間設計學校，我歷經了所有的重大的設計概念的變化，其中科技的變化無疑是影響今日校園風貌最重要的因素，」Lorne 指出，二十年前，學校只要有電腦教室就算是很炫了，然而現在手提電腦的普及加上無限網路的應用，已經讓所有的教室隨時都是電腦教室。
不過，科技的變化也導致了問題，首先就是學校的設計上：「沒有前進思考概念的學校往往無法適應科技需求。」
「在無線時代，AP 讓網路幾乎隨處可及，」Lorne 說，「但我們都知道 AP 的傳輸功率和範圍有其限制，在傳統的學校當中重重阻隔的牆壁往往削弱了無線傳輸的效率，解決的方法就是『加強空間的可變性』。」
空間的「可變性」，讓教育更有「彈性」
除了樓梯間和洗手間外，Lorne 設計的學校大幅減少了水泥牆，代之以其他材料的牆壁，而「可變空間的應用」更是教師一大福音。
多變的空間也讓教學活動的設計更顯多樣化，當鄰近的幾尖教室隔間一拉開就可以進行「合作教學」；有時候，甚至可以讓學生一起聽同一位難得貴賓的演講或是看影片。
「現在大家都知道團隊合作的重要，沒有人還在單打獨鬥，」Lorne 說，「也因此我們必須在教學當中促成老師的彼此合作，然後學生也可以從這種合作當中獲得啟發。」
在 Lorne 設計的幾所校園內，Lorne 在幾間鄰近的教室中置入了所謂的「彈性區」，作為老師彼此交換意見、準備教材的區域。而在老師進行這些工作的同時，又可以看到學生，維持課堂上的秩序，而這也成了加州和華盛頓州等各地學校開始模仿的新式彈性校園特色。
「許多人聽過微軟的未來學校，但跟大家認知中的未來學校不同的，未來學校並不僅僅只是電腦、無線網路和設計感的網頁；教學和教師的使用便利、新教材和教法的廣泛應用，也是未來學校設計上關注的重點，」Lorne 說。
四大觀點，引領風潮
事實上，談到「未來學校」的建築設計，Lorne 的四大要素已被許多校園建築者奉為圭臬：「彈性可變的空間」、「永續性」、「兼具個人化與群體性」，以及「與社區的連結」。
其中，彈性指的是，以「小時」或是「天數」為單位的改變能力；可變性空間，除了空間隔間的牆可以移動外，也可能是改變傢具和設備的擺設。他認為，「可變性則是讓校園空間在長時間具備可以適應不同教學需求的空間內涵。」
Lorne 強調，「今日，我們建造新的學校往往需要大筆金錢，這些校園建築不僅影響學校，更是社區和教會活動的舉辦場地，我們必須確認這些公共財能發揮效益，且順應時代需求。」
用學校空間，創造多元化的學習
今年初，Lorne 在微軟邀請下首度來台演說，分享他在美國構建未來學校，他特別提出許多設計案例，在這些案例當中，除了科技外，「民主與文明」的學習更是校園教室設計的重心，所以 Lorne 在設計的過程中，特別規劃可以「小組討論」的桌椅，讓孩子可以擁有共同討論、相互學習的空間。
提供孩子討論的空間，體現了未來學校更大的關懷。「我們希望小孩子能夠比我們做出更好的決定，因為看看當今的世界，我們所做的許多決定實在並不明智。」Lorne 笑著說。
身為學校空間的創造者，Lorne 指出：「人類的未來在教育，而未來學校和校園的建築設計工作者都必須謹記這個目標。」
- Leading the way for tech --- Lorne McConachie
When the people of Edmonds, Wash., built their new high school more than a dacade ago, they made up their mind to make sure the school would be able to accommodate changes in the way students may be taught in the future.
And today, if you walk into the Great Hall of Edmonds-Woodway High School in Edmonds, Wash., you'd find it capture the latest technology advances, in addition to its fine music hall with sound-enhancing structure and theatrical lighting and dramatic acoustical draperies. As a matter of fact, the school students will also tell you it one great place to eat lunch.
In February, Lorne was invited to visit Taiwan to share some of the latest development of future school design in America. Besides, I'm here to exchange opinion with local educators about attributes, characteristic of successful schools.
Starting from 2003, Microsoft has been collaborating with educators around the world in introducting the concept of "school of the future." Despite an edge in tech advances, Microsoft realizes that to fullfill a school takes more than IT expertise.
- Excel Tech Advances
"Working 20 years in designing schools, I have seen major movement in designing" said Lorne, "20 years ago, you have computoer classroom, but now computers are everywhere with wireless conneciton."
Throughout his spectacular career, tech plays an major role in shaping how campus should be designed.
"For example, today's Wireless hub is fairly small and easily accessiblee. When we look at a large school. There is a huge amound of data coming into school. The question is how we distribute it to different corners of the school," says Lorne, "in situation like that, you don't want to pull the wire back to the original entry point of school."
Wireless liberates users from the limit of location, however, it also bring new challenges to school designers. "Look at wireless now. There is certainly range and effectiveness of those hubs. What happens when two or five years from now when hub tech transform to a different level. It's might be more robusted, get-away from wireless connection."
Rightnow in most schools we're designing, we have 3 different pathways. Wire, wireless and paper, we still count on tones of papers to make systems go, it's not effective.
In wireless age, educators at school might use wireless rather than traditional link to database, but then again, it become essential to make sure school is properly designed with place to install wireless hub and adquate reception.
- Space Magic
Like the Woodway High projecty, Lorne has long been known for his magic in space arrangement. As space is crucial in introducing new tech tools, say servers, wireless and other graphic applications, it's also important for teachers when they try to use new teaching methods.
A good example might be collaborative teaching. In some field teachers really need to work in a team environment and model good collaboration for their children. "If we build solid walls that can't be opened that can't move aside, what happens when these teachers want to use a different methodology."
That's why Lorne insists In terms of the architecture design of a "Future School" , there are four key elements needed to be considered – Flexibility & Adaptability, Sustainability, Personalization & Collaboration, and finally the Connection to Community.
"Flexibility is the ability to change from hour to hour, day to day, might be open a wall, might be reshaping the furtuniture, might be bring some new storage," explained Lorne, "while adaptabilty means change over long term shift the way of lighting, reconnecting the walls, there is a timeline in terms of the way I use those phrases."
With all the four pricipal followed, a school desige to meet 50-year life span is now a reality. After regular school hours, Edmonds-Woodway remains a major center of activity in Edomnds. Community youth groups, hospital-sponsored classes, the community orchestra and other activities keep the school alive. According to a administrative assistant at Edmonds-Woodway, 60 to 70 percent of his assistant time is spent booking events at the school.
- Vision for Planet Future
"I believe the future of our planet is education and lots of people would agree with me," Lorne said in his seminar in Taipei. In this session he introduced a special classroom he designed for lessons concerning democracy and human civilization.
When asked why he singles out the example?
"I think it's the core of what we do in education --- making kids make decision better than what we made. Cuz some of our decisiion are not very smart." said Lorne with a smile, "I would hope the thinking skill of our children can make the world better. And I am proud that I'm part of the global team."
|
|
